Instant Pot Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce

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Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which means it's time to start thinking about all of the delicious food you're going to make! If you're looking for a cranberry sauce recipe that will wow your guests and save you time in the kitchen, look no further. This Instant Pot Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce is sure to become a family favorite.

This easy Instant Pot Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas! It's made with just a few simple ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to make.

I love Thanksgiving! I love the family time, the time spent talking about what we're thankful for, and THE FOOD!!! Thanksgiving dinner I think is the best!

I have 5 kids…and they all have their favorite things they really want at Thanksgiving. And each one wants something different, so our Thanksgiving table (or tables…there are a lot of us) is always covered with a ton of different foods.

Undeniably, if there is one thing that we always serve at Thanksgiving, it would be cranberry sauce. There’s something about the sweetness and tartness that is the perfect balance for the savory foods that we serve.

In any case, if you've been using canned cranberry sauce, this homemade cranberry sauce is going to blow your mind! Seriously, you'll never serve the canned stuff again!

Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce Ingredients

Ingredients to make this Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce are: fresh cranberries, cinnamon sticks, sugar, apple cider , Apple slices, rosemary, vanilla and salt

12 ounces fresh cranberries
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup apple cider
Fresh apple slices
2 pieces of rosemary
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

How to make Instant Pot Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce

Start by adding your fresh cranberries to the Instant Pot. I think there's something so pretty about whole cranberries.

After that, add sugar, vanilla, and salt plus 1 cinnamon stick and 1 piece of rosemary to the Instant Pot.

Pour apple cider over the cranberries and other ingredients in your Instant Pot and you're almost ready to make homemade Cranberry Sauce.

Last, but not least, pour your apple cider over your cranberries and other ingredients in the crockpot.

The apple cider vinegar is poured in the instant pot.

Afterwards, close the Instant Pot and turn the lid to lock it. Make sure your pressure valve is sealed.

Cook on manual high pressure for 8 minutes.

Allow the steam to release naturally instead of quick release. As soon as you open your Instant Pot, your fresh cranberry sauce will make your entire house smell AMAZING!!!

Once your cranberry sauce is cooked, remove the cinnamon stick and rosemary and mash to desired consistency. If you prefer a really smooth cranberry sauce, you can use a food processor or blender.

Then pour into a serving bowl.

Finally, garnish with rosemary, apple slices and cinnamon sticks and enjoy. We think this will homemade cranberry sauce will become a family tradition!

Your Instant Pot Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce is ready!

FAQ {Frequently Asked Questions}

Can I make this in a Crock Pot instead of an Instant Pot?

Yes. You can use a crock pot rather than an instant pot, but your cooking time will go from 8 minutes to 8 hours.

Can the cranberry sauce be frozen?

While you can technically freeze the cranberry sauce, when it thaws, the consistency will change slightly so you may not like it as much.

What type of apple should I use for the apple slices?

Since the apple slices are a garnish, it's up to you to decide which type of apple based on the flavor you want to add. My go-to apples are granny smith, golden delicious, red delicious and honeycrisp. Granny Smith apples are tart and acidic. Golden delicious apples are sweet and mellow. Red delicious apples are super sweet. Honeycrisp apples are slightly sweet with a crispy texture. Decide whether you want something that will accentuate the tartness or whether you want to balance it out with something a little sweeter.

Can I use frozen cranberries?

You can, but you'll want to thaw them before making cranberry sauce. Fresh cranberries will keep their shape better, but if you're going for a smooth cranberry sauce and will put them in a blender or food processor anyways, feel free to use frozen cranberries.

I love experimenting in the kitchen. What else can I add to this apple cranberry sauce?

Feel free to add some lemon zest or orange zest. You could even add lemon peel to the recipe (just remove the peel before mashing).

If you're looking for more flavor, ground cinnamon or ground nutmeg are always great additions.

You could also replace all or part of the apple cider with apple juice or orange juice. And if you're looking for something other than white sugar to sweeten your homemade cranberry sauce recipe, consider dark brown sugar or maple syrup.

Can I make this recipe on the stove top?

Yes. You can, but it's time consuming. I don't recommend making this on the stove top on Thanksgiving day. You'll be busy enough trying to get your whole holiday dinner on the table on time.
To make on the stove top, add your cranberries to a medium saucepan or large saucepan and then

What is the best way to store this cranberry sauce?

Store this cranberry sauce recipe in an airtight container in the fridge.

Where can I find fresh cranberries in the grocery store?

The best place to find fresh cranberries is in the produce section. They're typically only available at most stores seasonally.

Is this recipe just for Thanksgiving?

While cranberry sauce is traditionally served at Thanksgiving, serving this at other holidays is a great way to add some color to your holiday table. The cranberries pop against the backdrop of greens and creams.

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